"During the proceedings, the prosecution stated that
they will not be alleging that Aafia is a member of Al
Qaeda, the Taliban or any terrorist organization."

Despite the government's decision, and the judge's
ruling, that the prosecution would not allege that Dr.
Aafia Siddiqui has any ties to Al-Qaeda (or any other
alleged terrorist group) - because she NEVER DID! -
this didn't stop the Daily News from featuring a
sensationalistic, a highly prejudicial newspaper
caption that proceeded to dub her "Lady Al Qaeda" (see
below).

To add insult to injury, they presented Aafia's
concern about the possibility of "Israelis or
Zionists" on the jury as a demand to exclude "Jews"
from the jury.

With deceitful allies like these (newspaper rags) in
the court of public opinion, the government can afford
to lean a little more on the side of fact in its
official charge sheet against Aafia Siddiqui. (And
this is precisely why our sister receiving broad
support from her community - from start to finish - is
so important.

Let us see you at 500 Pearl Street (in lower
Manhattan) at 8:00 in the morning, please.

Aluta Continua

(The struggle
continues)

"The ultimate measure of a man [or
woman] is not where he stands in moments of comfort
and convenience, but where he stands at times of
challenge and controversy."
- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Our sister, Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, goes on trial this
coming Tuesday, 9AM, at the federal courthouse located
at 500 Pearl Street, New York City. I could write a 20
page dissertation on what we should do and why. But I
won't, because I've already written enough. I will
simply say this, in brief.

If at the end of this legal proceeding most us stay
home, or locked into other day-to-day routines (and
ignore the opportunity to DO something), and Aafia
ends up suffering the same fate as so many other
committed Muslims in pre-and-post 9/11
America...railroaded into prison; in the aftermath of
this precedent-setting trial, each of us will have to
look at ourselves in the mirror and take stock. If the
reflection that comes back at us is of someone who
wonders if they might have made a difference, but
didn't even try, we will have no one else to blame but
ourselves, for the emptiness and increased insecurity
which will no doubt come in its wake!

Supporters around the world will be gathering and
protesting at the same time.

In Pakistan Dr Aafia Siddiqui is considered to be a
'Daughter of the nation". The Pakistani Supreme court
recently called her case "the most important challenge
for the country." The Pakistani Parliament passed an
overwhelming resolution in support of her and has
forced the government to pay for her legal defense in
U.S. courts.

Dr. Aafia Siddiqui's torture and secret detention by
U.S. forces in Afghanistan aroused enormous anger and
indignation. Her continued imprisonment in solitary
confinement in U.S. prisons and the continuing brutal
strip searches that she is subjected are
internationally condemned.

Dr. Aafia is a 36-year-old Pakistani woman who is a
U.S. educated neuroscientist. She was illegally
kidnapped with her three young children in Karachi,
Pakistan in 2003 and taken to U.S. custody in
Afghanistan, where she was held in secret detention
and tortured for 5 years. She was shot and severely
wounded during an interrogation by FBI agents in July
2008. She is charged with attempted murder of FBI
agent(s) in Afghanistan. According to the prosecutors
and all U.S. officials, she has no links to any
'terrorist organizations'. Forensic evidence supports
Dr Aafia Siddiqui's innocence. Dr. Aafia's
fingerprints were NOT on any gun, nor her DNA nor any
residue nor any bullets.

The only fact that all witnesses agree on is that Dr.
Aafia herself was shot by U.S. personnel then taken
from Ghazni to Bagram and finally flown to New York to
be charged. Dr. Aafia Siddiqui at every court
appearance continues to refuse her lawyers, to declare
to the court that she has been tortured and to decry
the pain of strip searches.

Her sister Dr. Fowzia Siddiqui, and family, her
friends and her lawyers believe her continuing
statements that she was tortured in Afghanistan and
the children were terrorized in US custody. The family
and friends have fought for support from the Pakistani
government and international human rights
organizations.

The International Action Center, www.IACenter.org
urges full support for the international call to Free
Dr. Aafia Siddiqui!

Justice and a full accounting for ALL the missing and
secretly detained prisoners in Pakistan and around the
world!

Stand for humane treatment and stand against
injustice! Standing for Dr. Aafia brings light to all
missing persons, victims of extraordinary rendition
and people held in secret prisons. It sends the
message that all human beings, especially - our
sisters - Muslim women have rights!